The starting point was to firmly align with the values and goals of our parent company, EDF Group, who have set strategic vision to 2030 to be the efficient, responsible electricity company, champion of low-carbon growth. 

Secondly the material and future issues affecting our business were reviewed and mapped against stakeholder interests.  We identified three strategic goals where we make an important contribution to society and economy through: Better Lives, Better Experience and Better Energy and underpinned these with the creation of 16 goals and targets in our Better Energy Ambitions to measure innovation and progress to 2030.  

We developed a process for identifying and prioritising issues involving stakeholder analysis and feedback. These were prioritised through an evaluation of criteria relating to the measure of the level of stakeholder concern against our impact as a business and our ability to influence change.  This resulted in a classification of ‘significant’ or ‘non-significant’ impact categories. 

• STAGE 1
  Internally, we benchmarked ourselves against various companies with notable sustainability programmes and aspirations. We also benchmarked ourselves against our direct competitors.
• STAGE 2
  We spoke to both internal and external stakeholders to assess our position in regards to sustainable and responsible business. We also sought their feedback on what they believed were the most significant issues for their respective stakeholders groups.
• STAGE 3
  We commissioned Deloitte to facilitate an internal assessment to determine material issues for our business. This took the form of a questionnaire followed up with a workshop.
• STAGE 4
  In collaboration with teams throughout the business, we developed a road map to understand what future challenges and risks the energy industry is likely to face between now and 2030.

EDF Group’s CAP 2030 strategy was developed alongside the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which attained a benchmark of excellence. We completed an exercise to assess our alignment with the strategy.
Key findings from the research concluded that:

• Our Better Energy Ambitions cover the right issues. However, stakeholder feedback revealed that there is too much detail: our plans are not coming across simply and clearly enough.
• External stakeholders believed that we could show more ambition, given the realities we face and the leadership shown by other companies.
• We had an opportunity to outline how our business contributes to addressing our material issues.

Following this research and its conclusions, our Executive Team sponsored the update of our Better Energy Ambitions and development of three strategic goals to address our most material issues.

This process has made our sustainable business plan broader and more forward-looking, with a clear direction on the areas where we believe we can have the greatest impact. 

The Better Plan is the next step in our sustainable business journey.

Aligning our Better Plan with the EDF 2030 Strategic Vision, Corporate Social Responsibility Goals and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Our Better Plan includes six core Better Energy Ambitions for improving our social, economic and environmental performance. They are closely linked to both EDF Group’s Corporate Responsibility (CSR) Goals and, in turn, the United Nations’ long term vision for sustainable development – the UN Sustainable Development Goals. You can access the full report here.